Haemostat shods

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to surgical instrument jaw covers, and particularly hemostat shods. The jaw covers include a pair of spaced-apart shods interconnected by a bridging member, each shod having an opening to a bore adapted to accommodate a tip of a jaw of a surgical instrument, and the bridging member defining a separation distance between the openings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to surgical instrument jaw covers, and inparticular haemostat shods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Haemostats are used in surgery for gripping or clamping bloodvessels and also for grasping sutures. The jaws of haemostats areserrated and these serrations can result in damage to sutures. To reducethe risk of damage small rubber or plastic covers have been developedfor covering the tips of each jaw of a haemostat. Such covers are knownas “shods” or suture boots.

[0003] Available shods are produced singly although generally sold insets of pairs of separate shods. A pair of shods are used once only andthen discarded.

[0004] To enable single shods to be used effectively they generally mustbe presented in a way providing for convenient engagement of a pair ofseparate shods over each jaw tip simultaneously. This can require bulkyor complex packaging.

[0005] A further problem associated with the use of haemostats for tyingsutures is the risk of the suture becoming engaged or entangled in thehinge of the haemostat.

[0006] A further problem arises from the fact that existing shods coveronly a part of the haemostat “teeth”. Thus, there is only a small areaof the haemostat jaws that can be used to grip a suture, and a surgeonmust be careful to line up the suture with the shod surface to avoiddamaging the suture.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,090 discloses a form of disposable sutureboot which comprises a sealed elongate monolithic unitary hollowcylindrical body of resilient surgical rubber. The cylindrical body iscut at a mid-point to form an interconnecting web between the sealedtube ends which form the suture boots. For these suture boots to workthe material they are made from must be of sufficient resilience toallow the jaws of the surgical instrument to open. However, theinterconnecting web still needs to stretch, and this will interfere withthe ordinary operation of the instrument. There is also a potentialproblem of this web snapping whilst the device is being engaged on asurgical instrument or during operation of the instrument, with theadded problem of sutures then becoming trapped on the surgicalinstrument. Further, the close proximity of the open ends of the tube,and the fact that the tube must be physically folded into a V-shape bythe user before it can be engaged on the jaws, makes engagement on thejaw tips difficult.

[0008] In addition, with the suture boots being formed from a unitaryhollow tube, ie, with parallel sides, there can be difficultiesassociated with fully engaging the boots onto generally tapered jaws ofsurgical instruments.

[0009] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to providesurgical instrument jaw covers which reduce or overcome at least some ofthe above mentioned problems, or which at least provides the public witha useful alternative. In particular, it is an object of the invention toprovide instrument jaw covers which are easier and/or more convenient toengage on a surgical instrument, and/or which better protect suturesfrom damage by the instrument without interfering with effectiveoperation of the instrument.

[0010] Other objects of the invention may become apparent from thefollowing description which is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention there isprovided surgical instrument jaw covers including a pair of spaced-apartshods interconnected by a bridging member, each shod having an openingto a bore adapted to accommodate a tip of a jaw of a surgical instrumentand the bridging member defining a separation distance between theopenings.

[0012] Preferably, the bridging member may be integrally formed with theshods.

[0013] Preferably, a mid-portion of the bridging member, between theopenings of the shods, may be wider than portions adjacent the shods.

[0014] Preferably, the separation distance may be in the range 5-15 mm.

[0015] Preferably, the separation distance may be substantially 10 mm.

[0016] Preferably, each bore may be tapered, wider at the opening thanat the opposite, closed, longitudinal end.

[0017] Other aspects of the present invention may become apparent fromthe following description which is given by way of example and withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1: Shows a side view of surgical instrument jaw covers of theinvention in one preferred form;

[0019]FIG. 2: Shows an isometric view of the jaw covers of FIG. 1 ;

[0020]FIG. 3: Shows a top end view (from A) of the covers of FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 4: Shows a bottom end view (from B) of the covers of FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 5: Shows an end view of the covers of FIG. 1;

[0023]FIG. 6: Shows a side view of covers of the invention in analternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] With reference to the figures, the surgical instrument jaw covers1 of the invention include a pair of shods 2 interconnected by abridging member 3. Each shod 2 is closed at one end 4 and has an opening5 at the opposite end to a central bore. In use the tip of a surgicalinstrument jaw is engagable into the bore of a shod.

[0025] The bridging member 3 interconnects the shods 2 adjacent one side6 of each opening 5.

[0026] With reference to FIGS. 3-5, a mid portion 9 of the bridgingmember 3 is wider than the end portions 10. This wider portion 9 helps,in use, to isolate a suture gripped between the shods from the hinge ofthe instrument.

[0027] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 the shods 2 are substantiallyparallel to one another with their openings 5 pointing in the samedirection. The bridge member 3 curves away from the shods. It couldalternatively be angled in this direction with a “fold” at the apex 12.Such a configuration ensures that the bridging member 3, in use, doesnot intrude on the working space between engagement surfaces 13 of theshods 2 when gripping a suture.

[0028] In the embodiment to FIG. 6, the bridging member 3 issubstantially perpendicular to the shods 2. With such an embodimentthere is preferably a fold or hinge point at a mid point 15 on thebridging member 3 between the shods 2 adapted to facilitate hinging orflexing of the bridging member towards the instrument hinge, andtherefore away from the space between the engagement surfaces 13 of theshods 2, in use.

[0029] The bridging member 3 is of a sufficient length, or configured insuch a way as to fix a resting distance between the centers of theopenings 5 of the shods 2 between about 5 mm and 15 mm. In a preferredform the center:center distance is about 10 mm, to facilitate engagementof the shods onto both jaw tips simultaneously.

[0030] Outer surfaces 16 and the bore of 17 of the shods themselves aretapered, with the closed ends 4 being narrower than ends having theopenings 5. Alternatively the outer surfaces of the shods could beparallel (as in FIG. 6) and just the bores 17 tapered. The wideropenings 5 facilitate engagement of the shods on the jaw tips, whilstthe taper facilities engagement of the jaw ends to the closed ends 4 ofthe shods whilst ensuring secure engagement.

[0031] The surgical instrument jaw covers of the invention may be madefrom a medical-grade plastic, rubber or other synthetic material, forexample, Santoprene. At least the bridging member is flexible.Preferably the shods and bridging member are integrally formed.

[0032] A radio-opaque material may be included in the manufacturingmaterial so that if shods are inadvertently left in a patient after anoperation they will be visible on x-ray. The jaw covers will alsopreferably be a bright color, optionally luminescent, to ensure thatthey are clearly visible and contrast well with the color of blood.

[0033] Thus, the jaw covers of the invention can be simply, quickly andsecurely engaged on the adjacent tips of surgical instrument jaws. Theyprotect against sutures from becoming trapped in the hinge of theinstrument, and a surgeon using an instrument with such jaw covers doesnot have to be concerned about the precise placing of a suture withinthe jaws since the bridging member prevents the suture from beingengaged between uncovered portions of the metal jaws.

[0034] Wherein the foregoing description reference has been made tospecific components or integers of the invention having knownequivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as ifindividually set forth.

[0035] Although this invention has been described by way of example andwith reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understoodthat modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departingfrom the scope or spirit of the invention.

1. A surgical instrument jaw cover comprising a pair of spaced-apart shods interconnected by a bridging member, each shod having an opening to a bore adapted to accommodate a tip of a jaw of a surgical instrument and the bridging member defining a separation distance between the openings.
 2. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the bridging member defines a separation distance in the range of about 5-15 mm.
 3. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 2 wherein the separation distance is substantially about 10 mm.
 4. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the bridging member is integrally formed with the shods.
 5. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein a mid-portion of the bridging member, between the openings of the shods, is wider than portions of the bridging member adjacent the shods.
 6. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the bore of each shod is tapered, being wider at the opening than at an opposite, closed, longitudinal end.
 7. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the shods themselves are tapered.
 8. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the shods are substantially parallel to one another with their openings pointing in the same direction.
 9. The surgical instrument jaw cover according to claim 1 wherein the bridging member is adapted not to interfere with a working space between adjacent surfaces of the shods which, in use, grip an item between the jaws of the surgical instrument. 